Some BPO buildings in Cebu still closed

MANILA, Philippines – A day after a 7.2 magnitude quake struck Central Visayas, buildings occupied by Cebu-based business process outsourcing (BPOs) firms are still undergoing damage and safety inspections.

As of 1 pm on Wednesday, October 16, Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President and CEO Jose Mercado said they “continue to assess building safety before agents are allowed access.”

Several establishments such as malls and contact centers conducted structural assessments on Tuesday, October 15, following the powerful quake that hit the Visayas region past 8 am.

The quake halted business operations, damaged major bridges and tore down century-old churches.

Contact Center Association of the Philippines President Benedict Hernandez earlier stressed that “re-entry into the buildings will only commence once the buildings have been cleared.”

Mercado however noted that “most BPO buildings have been inspected and deemed safe so some have resumed operations.”

In a phone interview with Rappler, Mercado previously said that most of the BPO buildings in Cebu are “new and more structural.”

Cebu is one of the country’s major destinations for BPO operations. It houses around 100 BPOs, including contact centers, that employ an estimated 90,000 people. – Rappler.com